ominous
gb/ˈɑmɪnəs/ us/ˈɑmɪnəs/
B2
English
~ 7700
baljós
B2
1
baljós
B2
Usage pattern:
[something] is ominous / ominous [noun]
Dark, ominous clouds gathered over the city as the wind began to rise.
Sötét, baljós felhők gyülekeztek a város felett, miközben feltámadt a szél.
There was an ominous silence in the room after the boss read the email.
Baljós csend támadt a szobában, miután a főnök elolvasta az e-mailt.
The sudden drop in sales figures is an ominous sign for the company.
He gave me an ominous warning to stay away from that area at night.
The movie opens with an ominous soundtrack that sets a tense mood.
Learner examples
Black, heavy clouds looked ominous before the storm.
A fekete, súlyos felhők baljósnak tűntek a vihar előtt.
There was an ominous silence when the teacher asked who broke the window.
Baljós csend lett, amikor a tanár megkérdezte, ki törte be az ablakot.
The doctor’s face was ominous when he read the test results.
The sudden loud crash outside felt ominous to everyone inside the house.
An ominous message on her phone made her feel very nervous.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "ominous" for something that is simply big or serious, without the idea of future bad events (for example, "an ominous exam" for a difficult test). "Ominous" should suggest a sign or feeling that something bad will happen. Another mistake is using it for positive things; "ominous" is almost always negative.
Meaning
suggesting future danger or trouble
Collocations
ominous silence
|ominous sign
|ominous clouds
|ominous tone
|ominous feeling
|ominous message
Synonyms
threatening (More general; can describe direct danger, not just a sign or feeling of future trouble.)
|
foreboding (More literary and emotional, focusing on a strong feeling of coming evil or disaster.)
|
sinister (Stronger and darker; often suggests something evil or morally bad, not just worrying.)
|
menacing (Emphasizes active danger or a sense that harm may be done soon.)
Antonyms
reassuring (Gives comfort and removes worry, rather than creating fear of something bad.)
|
promising (Suggests a good or successful future, the opposite of hinting at trouble.)
|
hopeful (Fills people with hope and positive expectations instead of fear.)
Themes
emotions
|weather
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Making you feel that something bad or dangerous will happen soon.
Giving the impression that something bad, unpleasant, or threatening is going to happen.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ominous
IPA
GB/ˈɑmɪnəs/
US/ˈɑmɪnəs/
Syllables & stress
omin - ous (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (omin)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: ominous
Word family
Core family
omen
noun
ominously
adverb
Advanced or less common
ominousness
noun
Expressions
ominous sign
1/ˈɑmɪnəs sˈaɪn/
fixed phrase
sign that points to trouble
Something that shows or suggests that a bad thing will happen in the future.
Examples
- Rising unemployment is an ominous sign for the economy.
- The cracks in the walls were an ominous sign that the building was not safe.
- The empty shelves at the store were an ominous sign of coming shortages.
ominous silence
1/ˈɑmɪnəs sˈaɪləns/
fixed phrase
silence that feels threatening
A very quiet situation that makes people feel something bad will happen.
Examples
- An ominous silence filled the hallway after the principal shouted at the students.
- There was an ominous silence on the phone before the manager finally gave us the bad news.
- As the lights went out, an ominous silence fell over the stadium.